By: Emmanuel Mensah-Abludo
The Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources has charged NGOs, development partners, and civil societies in the Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) sector in Ghana to go the extra mile to ensure that all segments of the population, especially, women and children are served.
The call was made by a Senior Public Health Engineer of the Ministry, Michael Akumfi-Ameyaw at the official launch of SNV’s Healthy Future For All (HF4A) Project at Lambussie in the Upper West Region.
The Ministry’s call is in tandem with the attainment of SDG Target 6.2 which seeks to “achieve access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all, and end open defecation by paying special attention to the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situations”.
GBC’s Emmanuel Mensah-Abludo in this write-up says, the three-year Project is being implemented by SNV in Nandom and Lambussie Districts with funding from Hemsley Charity Trust.
Mr Akumfi-Ameyaw urged the public to embrace the policy of one house, one toilet, saying the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources will continue to work with development partners to eradicate open defecation and bridge the gap of inadequate WASH services in the country.
“The Ministry is more than convinced this project, which has three main focus areas, namely Sustainable Rural Sanitation, Urban Sanitation and Rural Water Supply, will contribute immensely to the Ministry’s efforts of bridging the gap of inadequate access to sanitation and water services in Ghana” Mr Akumfi-Ameyaw said.
He said the SNV has been a long-standing partner in the WASH sector in Ghana and expressed the hope that they are going to bring their rich experience in WASH project management to bear on this (HF4A) project.
A Senior Advisor, SNV Ghana, Reuben Ottou, who deputized for the Country Director of SNV, Anjo van Toorn indicated that the Healthy Future For All Project seeks to improve quality of life in the target Districts touch on the implementation approach.
“We will adopt area-based and integrated approach project implementation and a project will ensure that active participation of local partner organisations, local government experts outreach expert to ensure active long-term implementation and change in this sector that we are intervening,” Mr Ottou pointed out.
He added that successful approaches to boost water and sanitation coverage and improve hygiene and nutrition-related behaviours will be promoted in the Nandom and Lambussie Districts with high potential for scaling up into other districts.
The Upper West Regional Minister, Dr Hafiz Bin Salih who was the guest of honour paid tribute to SNV for its commitment towards the good of society.
“I commend SNV Ghana for choosing our region to make such a worthy investment in and wish to assure you of our support. Through this gesture, SNV Ghana has demonstrated a worthy commitment to positively contribute to the good of society,”Dr Bin Salih averred.
The DCE for Lambussie, George Gerard Naluri was very thankful to SNV for the project and pledged the Assembly’s support towards its successful implementation.
A WASH Engineer, Thomas Ntori announce that’s the project will be implemented four main Pillars which are Social and Behavioral Change; Market Development; Enhanced Infrastructural Functionality; as well as Strengthening WASH Governance.
